The Stranger Essay

The title of the novel chosen is The Stranger written by Albert Camus. The setting is centered around the country of Algeria, mainly within the capital Algiers, in the 1940s. The setting proves to be a very significant aspect of the story as it coincides with the culture within it. During the point of time in which the novel takes place, a large amount of French influence can be found due to its status as a French colony. The most obvious cultural element prevalent within the literary work is the use of the word “maman” and titles such as mademoiselle or monsieur. In fact, the first statement in the novel itself is “maman died today” (Camus, 1). Maman directly translates from French to English as mom, instantly showing a connection to the French culture. Keeping this term as it is displays the ties the text …show more content…
While the main character does not show immense interest in religion, one particular individual, his lawyer, manifests a great deal of concern over it. Meursault’s lawyer professes his devotion towards his faith when questioning him, where he “wav[es] his crucifix almost directly over [Meursault’s] head” (Camus, 66). The crucifix is an established symbol of Christianity, its appearance being significant as it plays a large role in the culture of the population. The way the author presented this was notable, as he presented the lawyer as overbearing with his ideals. This possibly hints at the author’s own opinion on religion, wherein it tries to be too domineering over other’s lives. The reason I had chosen this novel was because I thought it would be an interesting read over the other possible choices of literature to read. I had originally been eying this novel beforehand to read on my own time seperate from school, but now having free choice on this reading assignment, I decided to use the opportunity and get something I think I would